Posts Tagged ‘Gary Valentine’

“X Offender” was meant to introduce Blondie to the world, though its debut single (and opening track from its first, self-titled album) It only became a success thanks to its B-side, after an Australian TV station played the more Phil Spector-ish pop song “In The Flesh” instead. You can see why some might have balked at “X Offender.” Bassist Gary Valentine wrote the song—originally titled “Sex Offender,” before the label intervened about an 18-year-old arrested for having sex with his underage girlfriend.

Then Debbie Harry changed the lyrics to make it a love story about a prostitute who falls for the cop who busts her. Either way, it’s touchy subject matter, especially for a debut. But “X Offender” still functions as a perfect salvo for the band, sounding both nostalgic (with its surf guitar and a spoken-word intro worthy of The Ronettes) and ahead of its time (layered with the kind of sweet-sounding synths that would come to define candy-coated ’80s new wave). Giving voice to the song’s narrator, Harry sounds smitten, menacing, and fully in control of the situation (“I think all the time how I’m going to perpetrate love with you / And when I get out, there’s no doubt I’ll be sex offensive to you”), her regal, commanding rock persona already fully formed.

Private Stock insisted that the name of the single be changed to “X Offender” because they were nervous about the original title. It was released in mid-1976 with the B-side being “In the Sun”. While the song did not chart, Chrysalis Records heard it along with the Blondie album and signed the band. “X Offender” later served as the B-side to “Rip Her to Shreds”.

Official video of Blondie performing X Offender from the album Blondie

Well, I'm dyslexic so writing about something I love: Music, might help but it's most likely just full of mistakes. That title is also lyrics from The Drones song called I Don't Want To Change. Oh, my name is William and thanks for having a look.